Puzzle.



A. K. RANKIN.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED rmm, 1911.

1,006,878, Patented 0011.24, 1911.

UNIT

FFTQ

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

Application filed February 3, 1911. Serial No. 606,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANGUS K. RANKIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in puzzles, and more particularly to a puzzle comprising a plurality of blocks, cards or the like. Each block is preferably square and displays preferably at the center a means for indicating the top of the block when arranged in the puzzle. Each corner of each block displays a bright dissimilar color in the form of a quadrant of a circle, the same colors appearing upon each block but arranged in different relation to each other and to the top of the block.

The puzzle preferably consists of an arrangement of nine blocks in the form of a square having three blocks in a horizontal row and three blocks in a vertical row. The object of the puzzle is to arrange the blocks in this form having no adjacent colors similar upon the outer edges of the square and no similar colors appearing upon the adjacent corners arranged about the central block. The colors appearing in the quadrants upon the corners of the blocks will form semicircles of different colors upon the outer edges of the square and circles having quadrants of four different colors arranged about and including the central block.

The preferred form of this invention is illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawing, yet it is to be understood that the applicant is not limited to the number of blocks to be used in this puzzle, or to the colors specified in this application.

Figure 1 is a plan view of this invention illustrating the arrangement of a nine block selection when the puzzle is correctly worked out. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a single block forming a part of the puzzle.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 each block 1 is composed of a square of cardboard, wood or the like and in this instance displays within a circle, about the center of one face, the picture of an elderly gentleman 2. In working out the puzzle the picture should always be right side up. It is not essential to this invention that the means for indicating the top of the block be a picture, as it may be any other form of indicating means arranged either at the center or at any side thereof.

Within a quadrant 8 at each corner of the block bright colors are displayed which are easily and readily distinguishable from each other. As indicated in Fig. 2, the upper left hand corner 4 is blue, the upper right hand corner 5 green, the lower right hand corner 6 yellow, and the lower left hand corner 7 red. By retaining the relation of one of these colors to the top of the block and by changing the relations of the remaining colors in the other corners, it is seen that six difierent arrangements may be formed, and as there are four separate and distinct colors, twenty-four blocks may be formed by changing the relation to the difierent colors to the top of the block, so that a large number of puzzles of nine cards each to be arranged in a square may be selected. Characters or figures may be used with the same effect as colors. Preferably nine cards are selected which when properly arranged in the form of a square will present to each other different colors upon their adjacent corners. These selected cards are mixed up, laid face up upon a table or any flat surface and it is the object of the operator to arrange them properly. By making proper selections in the original cards added zest may be given the puzzle by selecting cards which will present at the exterior corners 8 of the square different colors, the same color, or any combination of the four colors, such as having the same color appearing at the top corners of the square and a different color at the bottom corners of the square.

What I claim is:

A puzzle comprising a plurality of rectangular blocks or cards adapted to be arranged in a rectangular form, each block having in the center a figure positively inpresent four dissimilar markings at the four dlcatlng the top of each respective block and ad acent lnner corners and tWo dlssnmlar a dlfierent marklng displayed upon each marklngs at the adJaCent outer corners.

corner, the four markings being the same ANGUS K. RANKIN. on each block and arranged in relation to \Vitnesses:

the indicating figure so that each set of J. D. CLARK,

blocks when properly placed together Will A. M. DUNLAP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). G." 

